The Policy Studies degree examines sustainability from several angles, leading to a strong and integrated skill set for graduates. Students develop their analytical, writing and critical thinking skills while gaining a deep understanding of the complex sustainability issues facing society today.
During their Policy Studies courses, students develop the following skills:
- Evaluate societal values and sustainability goals
- Delineate moral and ethical issues in sustainability challenges
- Analyze, interpret and compare evidence
- Identify and perform stakeholder analysis
- Apply an equity lens to policy options
- Conduct rapid research
- Identify and evaluate public policy tools for societal change
- Develop advocacy and leadership skills
- Collaborate in teams
- Produce professional materials, such as briefs, report and presentations
Careers
A career in public policy and sustainability includes work as a policy analyst, researcher, advisor, consultant, policy writer, program coordinator, lobbyist, communications &/or social media coordinator, program director, project manager or entrepreneur.
Public policy and sustainability experts work in local government, provincial government, the federal civil service, Indigenous government, social justice and environmental NGOs (non-profits), post-secondary administration, the private sector, market research firms and consulting firms.
Policy Studies graduates may continue their studies and career development through graduate school or professional programs, such as Public Policy, Public Administration, Community Planning or Law.
Career Opportunities
- Policy or planning analyst in municipal government
- Federal or provincial policy advisor
- Political Advisor
- Non-profit policy analyst or advisor
- Communications specialist
- Program coordinator
- Strategist
- Government relations expert
- Community engagement specialist
- Inter-governmental affairs officer
- Journalist
- Human rights Lawyer
- (International) Environmental Lawyer
- Green Criminologist
- Community organizer
- Sustainability Advisor
- Climate Change Consultant
- Chief Resiliency Officer
- Climate Change and Planetary Health Advisor
- Climate Change Coordinator
- Equity Advisor
- Environment, Housing, Economic Development Policy Analyst for First Nations organizations or governments
- Sustainability and global impact consultant and manager
- Eco-tourism Consultant
Career Tips
- According to the Global Green Skills Report, the global demand for green talent is on the rise, and the gap between demand and supply is widening.
Over the past five years, job postings requiring green skills have grown at an annual rate of 8%, while the share of green talent has only increased by 6% during the same period. - Join our Policy Studies program and prepare for the 24 million jobs that will be created by the green economy by 2030, as projected by the International Labour Organization.